Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81718 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81718 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
Forrest: Hey. How does Saturday sound for your spa day with Briar?
Brogan: Does my sister know you’re planning our spa day?
Forrest: Nope.
Brogan: Nice. We can do Saturday. I’m off work. We’ll need to find a sitter for the girls.
Forrest: I’ll keep the girls.
Brogan: Cashing in on the mom coupon book? Great idea, by the way.
Forrest: Nah, this is just me volunteering to watch my girlfriend's kids, who happen to be cool as hell, so that she can have a spa day with her sister.
Brogan: Girlfriend?
Forrest: My girl. Girlfriend. Mine. However you want to spin it.
Brogan: I wouldn’t be a good big sister if I didn’t ask what your intentions are with my sister.
Forrest: End game.
Brogan: Can’t say I was expecting you to say that.
Forrest: I have nothing to hide.
Brogan: Does Briar know? That she’s your end game?
Forrest: I hope so. If not, she will. I’m giving her time. She’s mine. The rest will come in time.
Brogan: Don’t hurt them, Forrest.
Forrest: Never.
Forrest: Saturday?
Brogan: That sounds good. I’ll tell Briar tonight. Are you sure you’re good to keep the girls?
Forrest: Razzle and Dazzle are my buds. We’ll be just fine. I’ll be at your place at nine. You need to be at the spa at ten.
Brogan: Okay. I’m sure you’ll be hearing from my sister.
Forrest: Looking forward to it.
I’m still trying to process what I just read when I hand Brogan her phone. He called me his girlfriend. I guess that makes sense. We’ve just never said it out loud. Not that I’m upset about it. It’s just weird thinking that I have a boyfriend after all this time, after everything that’s happened.
A boyfriend that doesn’t know all the details of my past. I need to tell him soon. Before the girls and I get any more attached. I’m truly broken, and a man like Forrest, he deserves better.
“He scheduled our spa day?”
Brogan laughs. “Skipping over the ‘she’s mine’ part, are we?”
“We said that we wouldn’t see other people while we figure this out.”
“I like him.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “I do too. He doesn’t know, Brogan.”
“Maybe you should tell him. Your past doesn’t define you.”
“No, but what if he looks at me and the girls differently?”
“Then he’s not worth your time. But I don’t think that’s going to happen. He seems genuine, and we’ve spent enough time around the group that we can say that with certainty.”
“He is. They are, but this is different. I’m broken. The girls—”
“You’re not broken, and those girls are special angels. They’re your daughters. That’s what matters. You are a package deal, and I feel like I can say with confidence that Forrest wants the entire package. He’s not a halfway kind of guy, Briar.”
“How do you know?”
“I work with his sister. We talk a lot, and just the things she says about him, and the rest of the guys. They’re a good group. They’re genuine.”
“It feels that way to me, too, but what if I’m wrong?” That’s the real problem here. I was so trusting before, and I was wrong.
“Trust yourself, little sister.” She winks.
My phone rings, and I can’t help but smile when I see Forrest’s name on the screen. “It’s him.”
“I know. Your smile tells all. I’ll go round the girls up for dinner.” Brogan walks away as I put the phone to my ear.
“Hey.”
“How was your day, baby?”
Why do I melt into a puddle when he calls me baby? I never thought I would like that, but from Forrest, it’s sweet and sexy at the same time. “Good. I just had an interesting conversation with my sister just now.”
“Really? About what?”
“Our spa day.”
“Are you excited?”
“I am. Are you sure you want to keep the girls all day? They can be a handful.”
“I’m more than sure. I’ll be there early. I’m bringing snacks. I have the entire day planned.”
“Really?” I ask, feeling the weight of worry lifting from my shoulders.
“Yep. And I don’t want you to rush home. Go shopping, grab dinner or a movie. Whatever you want to do, kid-free. Before you say anything, I know that you love your daughters, but every parent deserves a break. As for me, I’m looking forward to spending the day and evening with the girls. We’re going to be at your place, so you don’t have to worry. You can call and check on us as much as you want. I’ll send lots of pictures to ease your mind. I want this day for you. For you and Brogan. You’re both raising those girls on your own, and I just want to be a part of it. I want to be someone you can lean on.”
I don’t know what to say to that. If he were here, I’d wrap him in a hug, but over the phone, the best I could do is say, “Thank you, Forrest.”
“Anytime, baby. I need to go. I want to get the yard mowed before it gets dark.”